Aspects relate to a system and a method of operating an integrated device is provided. The method includes providing a circuit board that includes one or more on-board electronic components and an upper surface configured as a substrate, providing photovoltaic device layers that include at least a semi-conductor absorber layer, a buffer layer, and a top electrode layer on the upper surface of the circuit board that form a photovoltaic device using the upper surface of the circuit board as a photovoltaic device substrate, wherein the buffer layer is integrally deposited between the semi-conductor absorber layer and the top electrode, generating electricity using the photovoltaic device, and powering one or more of the on-board electronic components using the electricity from the photovoltaic device.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method of operating an integrated device, the method comprising: providing a circuit board that includes one or more on-board electronic components and an upper surface configured as a substrate; providing photovoltaic device layers that include at least a semi-conductor absorber layer, a buffer layer, and a top electrode layer on the upper surface of the circuit board that form a photovoltaic device using the upper surface of the circuit board as a photovoltaic device substrate, wherein the buffer layer is integrally deposited between the semi-conductor absorber layer and the top electrode; generating electricity using the photovoltaic device; and powering one or more of the on-board electronic components using the electricity from the photovoltaic device.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: providing an on-board energy storage device.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising: connecting the on-board energy storage device between the photovoltaic device and the one or more on-board electronic components.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising: storing the generated electricity from the photovoltaic device in the on-board energy storage device.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising: providing stored electricity to the one or more on-board electronic components.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: providing a second photovoltaic device on the upper surface of the circuit board.
7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising: providing additional electricity generated by the second photovoltaic device to one or more on-board electronic components by connecting the second photovoltaic device in series or parallel with the photovoltaic device.
8. A system for operating an integrated device, the system comprising: a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer readable instructions; and one or more processors for executing the computer readable instructions to perform a method, comprising: providing a circuit board that includes one or more on-board electronic components and an upper surface configured as a substrate; providing photovoltaic device layers that include at least a semi-conductor absorber layer, a buffer layer, and a top electrode layer on the upper surface of the circuit board that form a photovoltaic device using the upper surface of the circuit board as a photovoltaic device substrate, wherein the buffer layer is integrally deposited between the semi-conductor absorber layer and the top electrode; generating electricity using the photovoltaic device; and powering one or more of the on-board electronic components using the electricity from the photovoltaic device.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors additionally perform providing an on-board energy storage device.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors additionally perform connecting the on-board energy storage device between the photovoltaic device and the one or more on-board electronic components.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors additionally perform storing the generated electricity from the photovoltaic device in the on-board energy storage device.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors additionally perform providing stored electricity to the one or more on-board electronic components.
13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors additionally perform providing a second photovoltaic device on the upper surface of the circuit board.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors additionally perform providing additional electricity generated by the second photovoltaic device to one or more on-board electronic components by connecting the second photovoltaic device in series or parallel with the photovoltaic device.
15. A non-transitory computer program product for operating an integrated device, the non-transitory computer program product comprising program instructions executable by a processor to perform a method, comprising: providing a circuit board that includes one or more on-board electronic components and an upper surface configured as a substrate; providing photovoltaic device layers that include at least a semi-conductor absorber layer, a buffer layer, and a top electrode layer on the upper surface of the circuit board that form a photovoltaic device using the upper surface of the circuit board as a photovoltaic device substrate, wherein the buffer layer is integrally deposited between the semi-conductor absorber layer and the top electrode; providing electricity using the photovoltaic device; and powering one or more of the on-board electronic components using the electricity from the photovoltaic device.
16. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the method additionally includes providing an on-board energy storage device.
17. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the method additionally includes connecting the on-board energy storage device between the photovoltaic device and the one or more on-board electronic components.
18. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the method additionally includes storing the generated electricity from the photovoltaic device in the on-board energy storage device.
19. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 18 , wherein the method additionally includes providing stored electricity to the one or more on-board electronic components.
20. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the method additionally includes providing a second photovoltaic device on the upper surface of the circuit board; and providing additional electricity generated by the second photovoltaic device to one or more on-board electronic components by connecting the second photovoltaic device in series or parallel with the photovoltaic device.
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October 21, 2016
April 23, 2019
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